Europe’s political leaders agreed to draw up the plans at last November’s special EU jobs summit in Luxembourg.

But the Commission’s initial analysis of the schemes shows that many countries have failed to address four key job-creation criteria – improving employability, developing entrepreneurship, encouraging adaptability and strengthening equal opportunities legislation – which heads of government also agreed in Luxembourg.

“The main focus of the plans in on employability and entrepreneurship,” said the institution.

The Commission also criticised some countries for presenting plans which were “vague and lack any ordering of priorities”. This made it difficult to asses if governments really had an integrated job creation strategy.

Some member states also failed to explain how they would pay for their plans to be put into practice.

However, the institution acknowledged that some governments, including France, the UK, Ireland and Spain, had put together well thought-out strategies.